I've Always Been Dagger
by pokemypocky
Summary: Can Queen Garnet Til Alexandros find to courage to tell Zidane Tribal how she really feels?


**"I've Always Been Dagger"**

_**I do not own "Final Fantasy IX" or any of the characters in this story**_

_**nor do I own the song "I Love You," by Celine Dion.**_

_**I also want to point out that this song was featured in my last Inuyasha story, "Love Potion #9!" used in chapter six.**_

_**Please read my other stories as well.**_

_**Your reviews are greatly appreciated.**_

"Zidane!" Garnet exclaimed as she jolted upright in bed. She looked around to find that she was still in her bedroom. Her smile faded from her face. Another dream... Why couldn't her fantasies be real for once? She had been having dreams about Zidane Tribal for the last three months since he came back. It had been a year since she had last seen him at the Iifa Tree and she thought for the longest time that he was dead. Then, during the play that Tantalus was putting on for her a few months ago, one of the players threw off his costume shouting, "Bring my Dagger back to me!"

Dagger... That was her name when she was traveling with Zidane and the others. They were the only people who knew that name. When she realized that it was him on the stage, she ran from the balcony, down the stairs, out the doors of the castle, made her way through the crowd and threw herself into his arms. She was happy, angry, and overwhelmed all at the same time. He accepted her feelings quite gracefully, when she was punching him in the chest for making her worry. There they stood, in front of the crowd of people, with him holding her. You'd think that she would finally be able to pour out her heart to him after finally realizing that he was alive after all that time, but all that came out was:

_"How did you survive...?"_

_"I didn't have a choice. I had to live. I wanted to come home to you. So... I sang your song."_

_"Our song."_

"_Our song..."_ That was it? That was all she could say in a moment like that? Thinking back on it, she realized just how pathetic it was. In that one moment, which would have the perfect moment to tell him how she felt, she was feeling so pitiful. She had never really felt like that around him before. And why should she feel such things? She was Garnet Til Alexandros, queen of all of Alexandria. She had more power than anyone else in her kingdom. All she would have to do was snap her fingers and ask for something, and she would get it, right there on the spot.

With this thought came a realization. If that were the case, then why was she holding back her emotions? Of course, she couldn't force Zidane to love her. But she could at least tell him how she really felt. Compared to everything she had gone through during her travels, it should have been the easiest thing in the world to do!

But there was just one problem: whenever she would open her mouth to speak those three little words, nothing would come out. Maybe it was because, deep down, she was scared. Before they met, Zidane had been known as a womanizer and a flirt. What if she poured her heart out to him and things didn't work out? Then, he would have something to brag about to his Tantalus brothers: how he was able to win the heart of a queen and bring her to her knees.

Garnet finally got out of bed and walked over to her closet. She took out her long, white, silk dress and slung it over her arm. Her crown was centered perfectly on a pink pillow in the back of the closet. Everyday, she would wear this crown with pride. That's what made her a queen. It was something to be proud of.

But then, she would notice the outfit that was hung in the very back of the closet: a white long sleeved blouse with her orange dress pants, red boots and matching red gloves. That was the outfit she wore when she was Dagger. She had not been called by that name since Zidane returned. Dagger was the part of her that she pushed aside when she was being the queen of Alexandria. But at night, in her dreams, Dagger would awaken in her once again, fulfiling her heart's every desire... with Zidane.

It was at that moment that Garnet realized what she really wanted -- who she really wanted to be. She tossed aside her white gown and threw her crown on the bed. She reached into her closet once more and took out her old outfit. She hadn't worn it since she had returned home from her journey. "I hope this still fits me," she said to herself as she quickly put it on. After she was finished changing, she motioned for the door. Before she left her toom, she heard the sound of doves cooing and turned and looked back at her balcony window, the sun beaming in through the glass. Doves were perched on the railing. She let go of the door knob and slowly walked over to the doors. She opened them and walked out onto the balcony, breathing in the fresh air and scaring the doves away. There were ropes with the Alexandrian flags strung on them for decoration of the castle. One of the flag ropes stretched from her balcony to the second tower's spire a few feet away. She looked over at the second tower, where Zidane's room was. He, too, had a balcony window, the curtains were open. She watched as he got up from his bed and stretched out his arms with a yawn. He turned his head ever so slightly and looked out the window. For a moment, their eyes met. Garnet broke eye contact for only a moment as she grabbed one of the flag ropes and untied it. She climbed up onto the raising and stood on the edge, took a deep breath, closed her eyes and jumped off, swinging toward's Zidane's balcony. She felt so free, just like that night on her sixteenth birthday, when they first met.

_**I must be crazy now. Maybe I dream too much. But when I think of you, I long to feel your touch. To whisper in your ear, words that are old as time. Words only you would hear, if only you were mine.**_

_**I wish I could go back to the very first day I saw you. Should have made my move when you looked in my eyes. 'Cause by now, I know that you'd feel the way that I do. And I'd whisper these words as you lie here by my side:**_

_**"I love you. Please say you love me, too. These three words, they could change our lives forever. And I promise you that we will always be together till the end of time."**_

Garnet landed perfectly on his balcony. She took a few steps over to the door, but Zidane opened them up quickly and ran out to her. "Garnet, what in the world are you doing!?"

She shook her head. "Don't call me that! Call me Dagger... Please!"

Zidane blinked, a little confused. "Garnet -- I mean, Dagger... Is something wrong?"

She sighed. "Zidane, I... I..." Once again, the words refused to come out. Oh, great! How was she going to explain herself now? She had just made a complete spectical of herself by swinging over here. And now, she was scared to speak again! "I mean... What I came... What I _swung_ over here to say was that I--"

Zidane cut her off when he raised his hand. "I think I understand..." He reached into his pocket, took out an envelope and handed it to her. "Here... I wrote this for you a few days ago."

She was a little hesistant, but took the envelope and ripped it open. As her eyes scanned through the letter, they filled up with tears. "Oh... Zidane!" Once again, she threw herself into his arms. He welcomed her happily.

_**So today, I finally find the courage deep inside, just to walk right up to your door. But my body can't move when I finally get to it, just like a thousand times before.**_

_**Then, without a word, he handed me this letter. Read: "I hope this finds the way to your heart." It said:**_

_**"I love you. Please say you love me, too. These three words, they could change out lives forever. And I promise you that we will always be together till the end of time."**_

Garnet raised her head and kissed him on the lips. "I'm so sorry... I tried so many times to tell you how much I cared, but I just..."

"I understand completely," he said with a smile. "Dagger... I've always loved you, but never had the courage to tell you so. After all, I'm just a peasent and you're a queen."

She shook her head. "Oh, no I'm not." She smiled. "I've always been Dagger."

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: I posted this before, but then I removed it... And now, I'm posting it again! I'm hoping that I can get more reviews this time, because this is a cute story. PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVEIW! THANK YOU! 


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